Inexpensive tote bags of various types are commonplace: two main categories are (1) soft plastic bags with a pair of cutout areas near the top forming two loops from the plastic bag material itself to serve as bag handles for hand carrying, and (2) paper shopping bags with an attached pair of carrying handles typically made from some form of cord having a diameter about 1/8 inch or less. Such minimal handle provisions are adequate for only light loads and short periods of time: if heavily loaded such handles quickly become unacceptably uncomfortable to the hand due to the very high p.s.i pressures concentrated on a very small area of the hand. They often leave skin impressions and marks which are painful, annoying and potentially harmful even if not permanent. Since such bags are generally regarded as throwaway items, cost constraints preclude providing the bags originally with handles of any higher quality. Thus there is an unfulfilled need for an inexpensive add-on handle-sheath that can be easily attached onto and detached from handles of tote bags, wire baskets, coat hangers, etc., and that can be re-used indefinitely.